The Eye of Anubis: Book Four

Rock of the Fraternity · Mon Apr 07, 2008 4:12 pm

"That thug Cavendish used Stone Shaping magic to enter this building," Lia croaks, pointing at the roughened area. "And yes, an Arcane Lock spell on the door ... And I did not study the counterspell to that magic today." Lia shakes her head. "I can not help you to open the door, Andre ... Excuse me for a moment."

Lia limps a ways away from the group and starts to chant under her breath, hands moving in circles around herself while she whispers.

DocBeard · Post by **DocBeard** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 4:24 pm

Tomas, having seen that loook on Lia's face before, casually steps to the side, so as to not be even close to between the woman and the door. Idly, he adjusts the jeff cap he's picked up somewhere along the way so as to cover his eyes.

"Might want to step back." Tomas asides to the old man, looking concerned.

Nathan of the FoS · Post by **Nathan of the FoS** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 4:28 pm

"H'm," Charles says, walking up to the door and tapping on it experimentally. "Open, sesame!"

Nothing happens. Shrugging, he says, "It was worth a try. I think the fastest and least noisy way to get in will be to break these metal pins holding the door to the stone, then get crowbars to pry the door open--which will preserve the door itself for replacement, too. I suppose it would take...um. Probably less than half an hour. We'll need tools--I suppose the keeper of the Necropolis has an abundance at his residence. Some of us can be working on the pins while the rest go for crowbars and the like."

Looking around the group, he says, "Do we have faster options, or shall we get started on this one?"

DocBeard · Post by **DocBeard** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 4:38 pm

"Depends on how quiet we want to be." Tomas says, keeping his distance because a wizard chanting mysteriously is something to keep your distance from, Uncle always said. "If we could dispell the magic, the door itself isn't in great condition. Should've mixed iron with the lead, instead of whole lead, an alloy with reinforcements would be harder to melt, or batter down. Problem with your plan, Charles, is that we don't know what the spell's effecting exactly. The pin movement could be a work around, or it could be what sets off the trap."

"And, chances are, there's going to be a trap. Our wizard might have melted through the old sandstone, rather than deal with the door himself. Look, you can tell it's older stone by the way it's started to perforate, here and here. Really, amazing it's in as good condition as it is, kudos to Pharizan workmanship..." Tomas puts his hands on his hips, and blinks, realizing he's never sounded this, well, um. "...my uncle was a dwarf." He explains, blushing a little.

Rock of the Fraternity · Mon Apr 07, 2008 4:44 pm

(OOC: Using Sleight of Hand to mask the nature of these particular spells. First spell gets a 20, second a 14, the third a 24 to investigate.)

Lita mutters to herself, seemingly lost in the magic. Her hands move slowly and with small gestures, slowly, as if they were underwater. Arcane power tingles on the air around her as she lowers her head.

'Vita corpi phantasma est. Iussu meus et ex semita obscuru, illusionem firmate! Vita adulterina!' The wizard slaps a hand against her chest, and for just a moment, shadows seem to squirm and roil under her feet. They briefly rise up ... and return to their normal state.

Again Lia raises her hands, muttering to herself: 'Neque vis, neque infortunium me tangete! Lorica magi me vela!' A brief shimmer of force appears around Lia's drab, grey form as she slaps her chest a second time, then seems to vanish again.

For the last time, Lia raises her hands and speaks up: 'Susurrari sonant sicut clamori in auris socii mei!'

Lia gasps for breath, shaking her head. "Very well," she croaks as she hobbles back to the others. "Do we have any kind of plan as to what to do about this door just yet?"

steveflam · Post by **steveflam** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 4:50 pm

Ishaq remains very quiet while Lia casts her magic, uncomfortable, to say the least. Stepping forward he speaks to Charles, appearing a little unnerved at Lia's spellcasting. "I'll go get crowbars, Effendi Charles." HIs eyes dart everywhere except in Lia's direction and he hurries out and back to the gravekeepers cottage.

Nathan of the FoS · Post by **Nathan of the FoS** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 4:52 pm

Charles has continued to inspect the door and pins as Tomas speaks. "I don't see any signs of a trap," he says, "although it's the sort of thing you hate to be wrong about. M'sieur Schultheiss, you might want to double-check? I think Cavendish took his creatures through the side--assuming that's what happened--because he could make an entrance of the size of his choosing and then seal it again without any tiresome re-fitting of pins and what-have-you. I doubt it was any particular disinclination to deal with a trapped door. We might as well get the tools so we have the option, anyway. I'll go back for them...who's with me?"

Rock of the Fraternity · Mon Apr 07, 2008 4:53 pm

Nathan of the FoS wrote:"I think the fastest and least noisy way to get in will be to break these metal pins holding the door to the stone, then get crowbars to pry the door open--which will preserve the door itself for replacement, too. I suppose it would take...um. Probably less than half an hour. We'll need tools--I suppose the keeper of the Necropolis has an abundance at his residence. Some of us can be working on the pins while the rest go for crowbars and the like."

"That sounds good," Lia says, nodding to Charles. "But what do we do once the door is opened? If Cavendish and his latest batch of undead freaks are in there, they might launch an attack the door comes out. I can scan once a day for the presence of the undead, but no more than that, as you recall. Should I try it now, or hold off until later?"

Lia casts a brief glance at the retreating Ishaq and shrugs expressively. "Oh yes," she croaks, "this is surely the start of a beautiful friendship."

Nathan of the FoS wrote:We might as well get the tools so we have the option, anyway. I'll go back for them...who's with me?"

"I do not move so well in this heat," Lia says, regretfully. "Plus, my more destructive talents might be useful here if there is an attack than back at the gravekeeper's house. I, for one, will remain. Kuzan, would you bide with me? I could use the aid of our finest healer."

Nathan of the FoS · Post by **Nathan of the FoS** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 4:56 pm

Rock wrote:"I can scan once a day for the presence of the undead, but no more than that, as you recall. Should I try it now, or hold off until later?"

"Wait until the door is about to go down," Charles says. "We'll take a minute or so to prepare ourselves right before we make a last push, and that will give us time enough to find out if they're right there waiting for us. After you, M'sieur Rafiq."

Suiting deeds to words, Charles sets out after Ishaq, going back to the keeper's house for tools.

lostboy · Post by **lostboy** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 5:12 pm

"Bring the tools Affendi I shall assist you when you return." the desrt guide calls to Charles and Ishaq as they leave. With little to do but wait Khalil seats himself cross legged on the ground before the mausoleum.

Pulling a whetstone from his pouch he begins sharpening the blade of a scimitar, occasionaly pausing to examine the keenness of the edge. Once finsihed with that blade he sheathes it and draws the other.

DocBeard · Post by **DocBeard** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 5:12 pm

Tomas looks about for a bit, but crosses his arms; those two can carry tools well enough, but when splitting up, the whole idea of 'ambush' keeps showing up in Tomas's head. Better to keep on guard.

Becides, a treacherous part of Tomas's mind insists, this way, you'll get first crack at whatever's between you and that slimy excuse for a corpse...

Kaitou Kage · Post by **Kaitou Kage** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 5:16 pm

"May I see your blade?" a voice asked at Tomas's shoulder. It was Kuzan. His eyes were intent and his face a set stoic mask. "I would like to bless it."

Nathan of the FoS · Post by **Nathan of the FoS** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 11:14 pm

After a hiatus of ten or fifteen minutes Charles and Ishaq reappear; Charles is carrying two crowbars and two hacksaws, while Ishaq is laden with three crowbars and a young battering ram (actually a large log with rivets which appears to have been part of some kind of construction project on the dams at one point).

"So," Charles says. "Saws for the bolts, and then the crowbars, and if all else fails--the ram! Let's get started."

yalenusveler · Post by **yalenusveler** » Tue Apr 08, 2008 12:28 am

"I'll go first..." Andre said, starting to gesture and pray. It was something minor...a prayer to the prophet actually, to banish vile sorcery, as Andre tried to unweave the spell magically keeping the door locked. Needless to say, the sour look on his face didn't speak well of his success. So..without further prompting, he tried a second prayer, much the same, to one of the more obscure Sourangien loa. THAT brought a smile to Andre's face.

"Gentlemen, I believe things should be far easier going now."

OOC:Took two Dispels...but i managed. All yours now, guys.

The Whistler · Post by **The Whistler** » Tue Apr 08, 2008 1:01 am

"Wunderbar." Otto grins slightly, taking a hacksaw from Charles. "Let us treat this dismantling as a practice for Menetnashte's tomb, yes?"

He goes at one of the bolts with the new toy, periodically pulling out a chisel or an awl to chip away at what seems a particularly crucial bit.

A bit more macro than you're used to, but hey: nobody ever said archaeology would be about calibrating springs and rerouting sigils. Gotta mine Tomas for Dwarven architecture tips at some point, though...learning experience.

OOC: Now that the dispel's worked, my participation won't put us over the edge or anything (not that a +0 Strength bonus would be particularly constructive anyway), but hey, it's still a team effort, right?

Café de Nuit

Welcome, friends, to our establishment.

The Eye of Anubis: Book Four